Let’s Go Sponging!
Key West has a long history of sponge diving… ok, stop here, it’s actually called ‘sponge fishing’. The history of our nations sponge industry began in the early 19th century here in the small settlement of Key West.
The sponges were first found on beach shores after storms and used for domestic purposes only long before the selling & warehousing of this sea-soft absorbent wonder. In 1849 a small shipment of sponges were shipped to New York where they quickly sold out and the business exploded thereon for decades to come. At one time nearly 100% of sponges...